But Still Is True
by fasterassembly
Summary: The drinks at Club Escapade were spiked, but not with alcohol. The resulting night at Shirakawa Boulevard complicates Chie and Yukiko's relationship with each other, and the next day there are things to clean up. Various things.


Yukiko didn't think she was drunk. At the very least, Naoto had said that she couldn't be drunk, though that did a poor job of explaining the warm flush she felt everywhere, on her cheeks and on her neck and on her chest and especially everywhere where Chie touched her. She needed to take off her stockings, she thought, but when her hand drifted across the edge of her skirt so she could reach the stockings, Chie hissed, "No, _don't_," and Yukiko had to make do with tugging the collar of her uniform down the fraction of an inch that Chie would allow for.

Maybe she was drunk. This was, after all, the city on that field trip. And Yukiko liked the city: the bright lights, the streets, the… well, maybe the lights were not so nice. She missed the stars. But the streetlights could work as a substitute. She said that to Chie, and Chie let out a little groan that Yukiko felt reverberate in her own chest.

"We're indoors, Yukiko," Chie said. "There aren't any stars."

"Are you sure?" Yukiko said. She tripped over a stair. Chie's hand steadied her, pressing tight against her ribs. For a moment, she swore that she could have felt Chie's pulse thrumming through her, or maybe just her own, stitching through her like embroidery. The ceiling went from the cold, velvet, endlessly unfurling darkness of the night sky to the purple, hard edges of the stairway ceiling. "Oh."

"Geeze," Chie said. "Maybe the drinks were spiked after all?" They continued up. Chie's arm was wrapped back around her shoulder, and she yearned for that hand to drop lower. Yukiko tried to think back to a few hours before, but the memory fuzzed out, kept disappearing before she could put word or image to it. She pressed Chie a little closer to her. This was good. This could be good. Yukiko's head hurt, felt tight and aching.

"I'm okay, Chie," she said. "I don't think there was anything in the drinks."

"That Naoto-kun was just trying to make you feel bad," Chie said.

"Don't be angry with Naoto-kun," said Yukiko. "He's right about everything." Everything, Yukiko thought. Or nearly everything. He was so smart, and she liked that about him. So smart and so talented. And possibly very good looking without his shirt on.

"If you say so," said Chie. They were almost back in their room now. Chie fumbled with the key, and the door opened with a heavy click. Yukiko gripped Chie's uniform. Chie looked down at Yukiko, as though surprised. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Yukiko said. She was more than fine. She felt as though she could do anything short of the impossible. Run away from home, talk to a boy who had never been tossed into a television, take Chie by the jacket and pull her into the single bed in the room. Oh, she'd like that.

"You don't smell like alcohol," she said.

"Maybe it isn't alcohol," Yukiko said. "Maybe it's something else." Like the city. Everything was so big here. Everything could be wonderful. She felt as though everything and anything could work out.

"Yeah, maybe," Chie said. "I'm feeling kind of warm myself." Chie brushed Yukiko's hair away from her face. "Stay here, okay? I'm going to get some water from the vending machine."

"I want lemon soda," she said.

"Maybe something else. You don't like that stuff past midnight, remember?"

No, she didn't. And there were a lot of things that Chie didn't know about her. She frowned at Chie's back as Chie left the room. So many things that Chie didn't know. And so many things that Chie did. Maybe Chie would know what was wrong with her, or maybe Chie only thought she knew. Yukiko fell back onto the bed and pulled the covers up to her chin, but it was too hot, too much. Everything, she thought, was full of potential and possibility. She felt Chie's pulse in her again, and how nice it was, knowing that Chie felt this pulse in her own body, knowing that a part of her traveled with Chie. Her eyes felt heavy. She wanted to sleep, but she couldn't sleep. She wanted to go to the city outside of this room, find a place around here where she could see the stars. All she had to do was leave the room.

"Chie," she said, but Chie wasn't there. "Chie," she said. She got off the bed and walked to the door. It opened without resistance. Was life always like that, full of doors that gave way easily if she just touched them? If she had wanted to, she could have been able to leave Inaba, leave everything—go, take off, just that easily. If she had wanted to. She wouldn't now. She wanted to go back home, maybe. Vaguely. Maybe she ought to stay here, if she could feel like this.

She stepped down the stairs and walked. The vending machine had to be here somewhere. On the ground floor, maybe. She stepped down. She felt too hot to be wearing her uniform. Her hand grazed the edge of her skirt again, but then she saw Yosuke standing in front of a machine. Chie, she noted with displeasure, wasn't there.

"Yosuke-kun," she said.

Yosuke sprang up, yelping. "Yu-Yukiko-san!" He was holding a small package in his hand. When he saw that she noticed, he stuck the condoms in his back pocket.

"Have you seen Chie?" she said.

"Why would I?" he said. "I thought she was with you."

"I'm looking for her," she said. "She said she was going to get a drink."

"Well, the only machines here are… you know." Yosuke ran a hand through his hair. His cheeks were red. "I mean, it's not like I didn't expect it, but man. I heard all the rumors about these kinds of places, but, you know—god, I'll shut up now." Yosuke took the condoms out of his pocket and then shoved them back in again. "They're for partner, okay?" he said. "He said he wanted some, and—you know. I had to—because…"

So Chie was outside. That made sense. "Good luck, Yosuke-kun," she said.

"With what?"

"Everything," she said. She really did hope that Yosuke had good luck with tonight, and every night after. She felt something bubbling in her, the urge to laugh, and she did. She left the hotel lobby and stepped onto the streets. The air outside was cooler than it was inside, and dimly, she recognized that this made sense, because why would it be the opposite? It was autumn. In a few months it would be winter. But she felt so strange about it, as though everything had tilted on its side. She felt her pulse throbbing in her, hers and Chie's, both of them. Chie was nearby, maybe. She didn't know which direction, so she decided to go uphill, since maybe Chie went up there to train.

It certainly was hot here. Far hotter than it ought to be. Maybe there was something wrong with her, but no, she felt too good for anything to be wrong. There were many couples in the area. A car drove by, and she felt the instinctive urge to look in it to see if she knew the driver, but the windows were dark. Perhaps it was the yakuza. Yukiko wanted to laugh at the thought, but quelled it. There wasn't anything funny about that. There wasn't much funny about anything. But oh, wasn't it grand?

Her cell phone rang. She picked it up.

"Where _are_ you?" Chie said. Oh, she was worried. She shouldn't have done that to Chie. Her—her?—poor Chie might worry herself to death one day.

"I went outside," Yukiko said. "Looking for you." Still no stars out here. What was wrong with this place?

"Wh—what possessed you to do _that_?" Chie said. "Come back in."

"I will," Yukiko said. She hadn't gotten too far. She recognized Teddie's bear suit sitting in front of the hotel gates. She wondered where Teddie had gone.

She was back in the lobby now. Naoto and Rise were there, too, Rise hugging onto Naoto's arm and Naoto staring straight ahead with impressive resolve. He was such a fine gentleman. Naoto, Yukiko thought, would never do anything to a woman, which was why nothing would ever happen between him and Kanji-kun unless someone forced it. She smiled at Rise, who giggled and waved.

"Naoto-kun," Yukiko said, and she thought that she might trip over her feet because she wasn't sure where they were anymore, or where they were going. She made it to Naoto without any further problem. Naoto leaned a little away towards Yukiko. "I wanted to tell you that I think you're a wonderful young man."

"Thank you," Naoto said, eyeing Yukiko with a weariness most people usually resolved for snarling animals or small children. "Might I ask what prompted this… reaction?"

"Everything," Yukiko said, and Naoto stared.

"Perhaps you are feverish," he said.

Maybe. But she didn't feel it. She just felt warm. Pleasantly so.

"I'm looking for Chie," Yukiko said.

"Me tooooo," Rise said. "I'm looking for everyone. All of my fans. All of them."

Yosuke wasn't in the lobby anymore. Yukiko supposed that he had gone back to Souji. Perhaps the two of them were doing something. She didn't know. She had a headache, but only a little one, and her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth. Her neck, especially, felt hot. It was her hair. Perhaps she ought to hack it all off.

"How nice for him," Yukiko said. She wasn't jealous, really. Souji could be tricky to deal with. But she was glad for him nonetheless.

"What?" Naoto said. Naoto squinted up at Yukiko, then, with a futile little tug, tried to yank his arm away from Rise. "Are you quite all right, senpai? Your pupils seem dilated."

Maybe she wasn't. But that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. "I'm wonderful," Yukiko said. "Thank you for asking, Naoto-kun."

Naoto frowned. "Look up at the ceiling, please," he said, but before Yukiko could do that, Chie came bursting down the stairs, still holding her phone to her ear. Oh. Yukiko had dropped her phone behind her. She turned to get it, but wobbled, and Chie caught her—and there it was, that glorious flush wherever their bodies met.

"Thanks for finding Yukiko, Naoto-kun," Chie said.

"Shirogane-kun, if you'd please," Naoto said. "It's aggravating having you call me by my first name."

That seemed to aggravate Chie, too. Chie shook her head. "Oh, never mind. I'm taking Yukiko back up to our room. Night, you two. Don't do anything to Rise-chan, Naoto-kun."

"He's the one that should worry about _me_," Rise said. "He's so haaaarrrd."

"Oh my god," Chie said, her voice low right next to Yukiko's ear. Again, they went up the stairs, Chie helping Yukiko. It really was nice having Chie help her. It could be a little irritating, but now everything felt as though it might float away. Yukiko didn't want to lose anything: not this, not now, not ever.

"Chie," Yukiko said, and Chie didn't say anything back, just opened the door to their hotel room. Yukiko fell back onto the bed. She heard Chie walk around the room. She sat up, and the world seemed to shimmer. "Are you angry?"

"I told you to stay in the room," Chie said.

"I didn't mean to worry you," Yukiko said. "You were gone for so long." She couldn't focus on Chie's face. Why couldn't she focus on Chie's face? She blinked, rapidly. Chie handed her a can of hot milk tea. She had wanted soda, cold lemon soda, not this. But she popped the can open and drank it anyway. The warmth of the tea heated her up all over again. Chie sat on the bed next to Yukiko. She had already changed into her pajamas, the top of the pajamas hitching up a little as she sprawled on the heart-shaped bed.

"Man, I'm beat," Chie said. "I don't remember a thing we did today."

"No," Yukiko said, but that was bad. She didn't want to forget this, the way her heart seemed to have a new life, how every part of her seemed to be connected with Chie. Chie really did have a wonderful body, and a nice face. Yukiko lay next to Chie, curling next to her so her face was in Chie's arm.

"At least change," Chie said, drowsy.

"Maybe you should take my clothes off for me." Chie didn't say anything. Yukiko hoped it was because Chie was considering her offer. Yukiko felt the collar of her sailor uniform and—oh, that was why it felt like her head wasn't on right. Her headband was clamping on her forehead. It had gotten askew. But the pressure on her temples persisted even as she removed the headband and shook out her hair all about. Chie turned over on her side to face Yukiko. "Chie," she said. "Chie."

"I'm right here," Chie said, but she looked concerned now. "Is everything all right?"

Yukiko wondered about that. She didn't know. Everything felt hazy, except for where she was touching Chie. "I love you," she said.

"Yeah, me too," Chie said.

"I don't mean," Yukiko said, "like that." She lifted the hem of her skirt up, just enough to show the point where her stockings ended and her thighs began. Chie's breath caught, but aside from that, there was nothing. Yukiko didn't need to see Chie clearly to know why. She blinked once, hard.

"Oh, no," Chie said. "No, please, don't cry. I love you, too, just—" And that made it worse, somehow, hearing that 'but.' "I don't—I don't want it to…" Chie's thumb grazed Yukiko's cheek, near her eye, but the touch felt cold.

"You don't have to say it," Yukiko said.

"No, that's not… that's not what I mean." Chie sounded more hurt by this than Yukiko did, and Yukiko couldn't understand why. "I don't—Yukiko, there was something in your drink, I'm sure of it."

"But this is how I really feel," she said, softly, almost to herself.

Chie said nothing. Yukiko turned away, shut her eyes, and pretended to be asleep.

* * *

><p>Yosuke was in the lobby, staring at the vending machine. When he saw Chie, he squawked, "What is <em>with<em> you girls?" and leapt away from the machine, as though embarrassed.

"Oh my god," Chie said, her problems momentarily vanishing. "Are you buying condoms?"

"No," Yosuke said. He tried to step in front of the number pad, but Chie got a good look at his half-completed order, anyway. He _hadn't_ been buying condoms. He had been buying lubricant. And his hair was seriously messed up. So was his uniform. Chie coughed, and let Yosuke rearrange himself and try to hide the dark spot on his pants and she really ought to just kick Yosuke now and be done with it.

Naoto and Rise were still in the lobby, too, Naoto a stiff, petrified statue of horror while Rise rubbed against him suggestively. Chie felt herself get a little hot. She didn't want to think about that now.

"Did Yukiko-san find you?" Yosuke said, in the most transparent attempt at deflection ever.

"Yeah," she said. "Hey, who's in your room, Souji—"

"Why do you care?" Yosuke said, his cheeks red. "Geeze." He punched the last number in the number pad, bent over and collected his purchase. His eyes flickered over to where Naoto and Rise were. "Think I should get Naoto-kun a condom, too?"

"The room comes with free condoms," Chie said. "They're on the pillow."

"Seriously? I didn't see them," Yosuke said. He frowned, though, as though remembering something. Then he said, "Look, I don't have time for this. Good luck with Yukiko-san." How had he known? Chie scanned his face for signs, but all that did was make Yosuke flinch. "Geeze, I didn't mean anything by that! I'll see you tomorrow, all right?"

"Right," Chie said. "Say good night to Souji-kun for me, okay?"

Yosuke vanished up the stairs without another word. His ears were red. So were hers. She rubbed them to try to make them a little less cool, but all she could see was the white strip of flesh appearing as Yukiko's skirt raised up higher, and oh, god, now her entire face was red. She wanted to die. Why couldn't Souji get his own condoms? At least Souji would have had advice.

She went to Naoto, who hadn't looked like he had moved an inch since Chie had last seen him. Rise, at least, seemed to be asleep. She had placed Naoto's hand between her legs. When Chie got close, Naoto's entire face seemed to spasm; his attempt, she realized, at some kind of expression beyond 'someone help me.'

"Hi," Chie said, her voice a whisper in case they woke Rise. "Crazy night, huh?"

Naoto nodded, stiffly. "How is Yukiko-senpai?"

Chie twisted the band around her wrist in a circle. "Yeah, she's fine," she said. "Maybe… a little too fine. I don't know."

"So you noticed it, too," Naoto said. He, carefully, removed his hand from between Rise's legs. "Perhaps their beverages were spiked after all."

"Yeah," Chie said. "Just theirs, though?"

"It'd be difficult to confirm it without gathering physical evidence," Naoto said. Chie thought back to the club. Souji had barely taken a sip. Neither had she. She had been worried that she might have to look after Yukiko, and took no more than a mouthful. It had been the same for the others after Yukiko and Rise lost it, except for Teddie, who was… well, a bear. She felt jealousy tearing through her. Oh, so Yosuke got sex without his boyfriend having to be drugged? Great. Just great. "I'll have to return to the club and conduct an investigation. Perhaps you and Souji-kun could join me."

"All right," she said. "I'll come." Naoto nodded in approval, or maybe gratitude. "Hey, where's Kanji-kun?" she said.

"He fell asleep some time ago," Naoto said. "I doubt we'll have to involve him." Naoto shifted his arm. Rise squeezed his arm between her breasts. "What do I have to do to get her off of me?" he said, his voice nearly a squeak.

"I don't know," Chie said. She really didn't. She didn't want to go back to her room and face Yukiko, but she couldn't take the coward's way out and hide. She didn't want to see Yukiko sad because of something she said or did. And she did love Yukiko, she really did. The thought of Yukiko loving her back—she swallowed, hard, as though it didn't matter, or as though she wasn't thinking about it, because she wasn't.

"Help me take her back to her room," Naoto said, like an order. Chie thought he was kind of a prick, but she helped him anyway. He hadn't done anything to Rise, after all. And there were plenty of guys who would want to do all kinds of awful things to her.

"You're so scrawny," Chie said, and Naoto scowled and didn't respond to any of Chie's attempt at making conversation as they lifted Rise back to her room. Once they dropped her off, Naoto said, "The club closes at three. We could conceivably reach there before they close their doors."

"Souji-kun's busy right now," Chie said. "And I'm tired." She had said that at first because she didn't want to prolong this day any further than she had to, but once the words came out, she really did become tired. Exhausted, even, as though the only thing she'd ever want to do in her life was sleep.

"All right," Naoto said. "I'll join you and your group tomorrow during the free period. We should investigate during the afternoon, when the club is preparing for its evening clientele." He yawned, and returned to his room, rubbing his eyes like a little kid.

In her room, Yukiko had changed into her pajamas sometime in her sleep. Chie eased into the bed, careful to not disturb her. She hoped Yukiko wasn't crying and she hoped that Yukiko was really asleep. She didn't want to make Yukiko sad.

* * *

><p>Souji looked far more satisfied than anyone had any right to be, Chie thought. It wasn't fair. Then again, maybe that was the only reason that he had agreed to come with her and Naoto so quickly. Or maybe he was trying to get close to Naoto. Who knew how Souji's brain worked. He made everything look so effortless, but at the same time, Chie had no idea what was going on in his head. She wished she knew what was in Yukiko's head, too. Yukiko had woken up in the morning, her voice thick and brain totally wiped, as though nothing had even happened. The only indication had been the fragile, heavy atmosphere around them that morning, as though they were filling a glass with water, and the water was in danger of spilling over. Chie didn't know what would be worse: if Yukiko remembered everything, or if she forgot it. Maybe Yukiko would remember it later, she thought, but then she shook her head. No. She couldn't worry about that right now. What she really needed to know was whether or not Yukiko had been drugged, and by whom and with what.<p>

She, Souji, and Naoto split into their own group during the free period. Yukiko hadn't looked happy about that; she had lingered near Chie for a moment before she and Souji and Naoto were about to head back to Club Escapade, worrying her lower lip and not saying anything. Finally, she said, "Is something wrong, Chie?"

"No," Chie said, but everything was wrong right now. Maybe it would be better for Yukiko to forget it. But she didn't want Yukiko to forget it. But, but, but. Chie groaned. Everything in her head was spinning around like a wrecking ball, each reversal adding another horrible complication. "We're going to do, you know. Martial arts stuff."

"And Naoto-kun, too?" Yukiko said, sounding more than a little suspicious.

"Well, he's all detectively. And detectives—I don't know, there's some kind of crime and the victim was… you know…" She didn't sound particularly convincing. Yukiko didn't sound like she bought it, either.

"All right," Yukiko said.

'I'm sorry' seemed like the best thing to say right now, but if she said that, then she'd have to say 'for what,' and everything was so weird that she didn't know if she'd be able to stop herself if she started.

"I'll meet you at that ramen place later," Chie said. "Hagakure?"

"Yes," Yukiko said. She squeezed Chie's hand, and Chie felt a little jolt go through her that she hoped no one could see or sense. "Don't get lost, Chie."

"You too," said Chie. "Don't let Teddie get too wild. He might hit on everyone in sight and then Yosuke'll be mad."

"I'll tell Yosuke-kun that you're concerned."

"It's not like that." Chie smiled, and knew that it looked strange on her face. "Have fun, okay?" she said, and left with Naoto and Souji to the mall.

* * *

><p>The city was so big. Yukiko wasn't sure if she liked it very much. Her head hurt and she was sure that everyone could tell that it did, a thought patently absurd. Something had happened last night. She knew because she woke up feeling disappointed and injured, as though a Shadow from the TV had bitten into her and she had healed it, but still remembered its ghostly, phantom bite. It was strange how she had no scars, or almost none. There were some, from moments when she woke up against a wall, her clothes dry and crusty and everyone around her concerned, but even those faded within days or weeks.<p>

Chie had left with Naoto and Souji, and she was glad to see that Teddie and Yosuke and Kanji and Rise all looked as though they missed them, too. They went to the shrine, on her request. She had never had a hangover before. Everything seemed too bright or too loud or both. The trees with their impossible, constant rustling and the way they glinted with green light, always too close but never in reach. She thought that this might be what it like to go insane.

"I wonder if they have any horses up there," she said, because her head really did ache, and all of these stairs on their way up were not helping.

"Horses?" Kanji said. "Where'd that come from, senpai?"

"I don't know," she said. She didn't know why she had thought it.

"You looking kind of woozy," Kanji said. "You want water?"

"That's very considerate of you," she said. She _would_ like water now that she thought of it. She accepted the water bottle Kanji passed her, and opened the top with a twist of her wrist.

Kanji ran a hand through his hair. "Nice day, ain't it," he said as she drank. "Wonder what senpai and the others are up to."

"I'm sure Naoto-kun is fine," she said, but what she really wanted to know was why Chie had left her like this. She felt, suddenly, on the verge of crying, and felt so startled by the rapid rising of emotion in her that she nearly did.

"Guess he had official city business or whatever," Kanji said.

"That makes sense," she said. She couldn't understand why she wanted to cry so much. "Souji-kun and Chie are both very reliable."

He walked in time with her, though she was sure that it must be tiring, staying with her. Below, Rise and Teddie were making lively conversation. She was jealous of them and their happiness. "I'm feeling a little tired right now," she said. "You should go first."

"Nah," Kanji said, and she realized that he was taking pity on her and was looking out for her, in his own way. "No good if you end up passing out on the stairs."

"I'll be fine," Yukiko said, and she had another vague memory of the stairs and a solid, purple sky above her. She blinked, hard, and in the flashes of the red world behind her eyelids, she saw, almost in slow motion, the beams of a star extending out to her. Kanji stayed with her until they reached the top of the stairs. Yosuke was already there, staring at the ropes dangling by the offertory box.

"You pull it," Kanji said. "Wrap your hands around the rope and yank."

"I know that much, at least," Yosuke said. "Geeze. I'd just feel dumb doing it by myself. Any of you want to join me?"

"I will," Yukiko said, before Kanji could say something. Kanji had a sharp, cutting grin on, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to deal with them fighting. Kanji and Yosuke fighting was somehow worse than Yosuke and Chie fighting. Maybe it was because of how afraid Yosuke seemed of Kanji sometimes. It didn't seem fair. She reached into her wallet and took out a hundred yen coin. Yosuke, after some time, did the same. She swore that he had reached for a fifty first, though.

"So what are you going to pray for?" Yosuke said.

"That's a rather private question, isn't it?" Yukiko said.

"Well, excuse me. Who knew you'd be so touchy about that kind of thing, Yukiko-san?" He didn't sound too angry, though. He tossed the money into the box, and she did as well. Then, in tandem, they grasped the cord and pulled twice. The bells chimed, hard and discordant. Yukiko closed her eyes and brought her hands together. She didn't know what to wish for, and it seemed almost pointless to wish for anything. There wasn't anything that she wanted enough to pray for, except, maybe, success. Success it was. She opened her eyes. Yosuke's face was screwed up in thought, and his mouth twitched, every now and then. She thought that she saw Souji's name on his lips, and felt embarrassed to have watched him so closely. She left him there.

Rise and Teddie were sitting on the jungle gym. Kanji was eyeing an albino dog napping in the shade. He was a handsome looking creature, and as though sensing her gaze, the dog raised its head and barked at her. Yukiko took a step back—she had heard things about city dogs—but the dog waved its tail and trotted up to her. It sat in front of her, its tail wagging. It seemed almost as though it had wings, but no, that was just a part of his collar.

Yukiko scratched the dog's ears, and went to the emas, but it seemed selfish to buy an ema and pray for more success. The gods might get annoyed with her. So she went over to the fortunetelling stand. She put in a hundred yen and drew a fortune. Moderately bad luck. She should be careful with her money. She crumpled the fortune and placed it into her pocket; and as she did so, she had the sudden feeling of something leaving her. She thought, at first, maybe she had lost something inside of her, but it was just some yen caught on the wind like a leaf. She watched it go, and felt, with a dull throb of her chest, that this was somewhere that she might want to come back to, someday.

* * *

><p>"Did something happen last night?" Souji said as they took the train. It had taken them almost fifteen minutes to decipher the train schedule and bus maps. Souji had opted for the slightly more expensive, but more scenic and direct, route, while Naoto had wanted to take the cheapest way possible. Chie was glad Souji had won out. The beauty of Tatsumi Port Island and the shining, green sea was a relief. Naoto, sitting across from them on the train, was rifling through a book. It was in English.<p>

"I don't know," Chie said. "Didn't Naoto-kun tell you?"

"He told me that he thinks that the club might have drugged us last night," Souji said. "What I meant was if something happened between you and Yukiko-san."

If something had happened. They hadn't even kissed and had barely touched, which was kind of a relief. "I don't know," Chie said. "Something happened, but it was the… I don't know."

Souji was all quiet. He looked over at Chie, and then patted her back. "We'll get to the bottom of this," he said. "I promise."

TSBREAK

The club was closed in the front, but there were trucks open in the back. Workers in the black and blue uniforms of Club Escapade skittered about, bringing crates and boxes of stuff into the shop.

"Aren't you kids supposed to be in school now?" someone called to them, and a light chuckle swept across the back alley.

"That's none of your concern," Naoto said. "I am Naoto Shirogane. I have some questions for your manager."

"What are you, in middle school?" said the worker, but this time no one laughed or said anything. The workers seemed busy, and content to ignore them.

No good. If they ignored Naoto, she might never get anything out of them. And whoever did that to Yukiko had to _pay_. "He means it," Chie said. "He's Naoto Shirogane, the detective. He can arrest you all if he wants to." The workers kept moving boxes and crates.

"Hey!" she said. "Isn't anyone listening to us?"

"Ah," Souji said, but he mostly looked a little confused. He put a hand on Chie's shoulder, as though to pull her back.

"We're looking for the manager," said a man with an orange forelock carrying a box of limes. "You're lucky we're even trying. The manager hates it when kids sneak in."

"We are not children," Naoto said.

"Sure look it to me," said the man, and entered the shop again.

Chie looked to Naoto. He shook his head. "Technically, this isn't an official investigation," he said. "We can't be too pushy."

"Bullshit," Chie muttered. Souji tightened his grip on Chie's shoulder. More as, she realized, as a warning than for solidarity. She shrugged him off. He didn't understand it. His best friend hadn't said anything last night while under the influence. Everything was going fine for Souji: boyfriend, sex, and no drugs anywhere. The only thing that kept her head on straight right now was the promise that she'd pound whoever did this into the pavement.

"You know," Souji said, almost conversationally, "I've heard some rumors about this place."

"As have I," Naoto said, eyeing the trucks. "Although I'm sad to say that the produce presently looks perfectly legal."

"What are you talking about?" Chie said.

"There are rumors about Club Escapade," Souji said. "After the new manager came in. They stopped serving alcohol, but they still need money. People get their buzz on other things." He shrugged, and brushed some hair out of his eyes. "It wouldn't surprise me if Yukiko-san and Rise-chan had been slipped something. Ecstasy, probably."

Who cared about what they were given. "I just want to find who did this and give them a taste of my mind," she said.

"A piece," Souji said, and Chie went a little red. He wasn't helping right now, although she was sure he was trying. Goodness knew Souji tried. Most of the time he succeeded, but not this time. There were too many things bothering her.

They waited a little longer. Chie felt as though she maybe should take someone hostage, threaten to kick them in the nads if they didn't produce the manager. No sooner had she thought that then the manager show up. He was a sharp looking man in a crisp white shirt and older, shabbier waistcoat. His shoes were patent leather.

"I remember you," the man said, although by the way his eyes had changed size as he looked from Naoto to Chie to Souji, he really only meant that he had remembered Souji and Naoto. Chie didn't take offense. She had ways of making him remember her if she wanted him to. "You were with Risette last night." The man smiled a gummy smile. "Did you have a good time last night?"

"It was rather unremarkable," Naoto said, with an admirably stiff upper lip. "Two of our friends seemed to have a rather… adverse reaction to your club."

The man shrugged. "It happens sometimes. I'd offer to refund you, but we provided you with free service."

"You drugged us," Chie said, louder than she should have. The workers ignored the outburst. Naoto winced. Souji couldn't have looked any less surprised. The manager, too, kept a neutral face. He looked almost bored.

"What about it?" he said.

"So you do not deny that our beverages were contaminated with some unknown substance?" Naoto said.

"I can't be responsible for what happens to your drinks," said the manager. "It isn't my fault that you got careless. Always watch your cup."

"Unless you have forgotten," Naoto said, "we sat in the balcony. There are only two sets of people with opportunity: the people who prepared the beverages and the people who delivered them."

"I suppose someone thought they'd give you kids a good time," he said. "It's not every day that a celebrity comes. Why have Risette here if she doesn't enjoy herself?"

"You—" Chie wanted to kick him in the face, but Souji still had her by the shoulder, and Naoto looked more vexed than properly angered by this horrible admission. "Let _go_ of me—why aren't you arresting him?" she said to Naoto.

"It's not an official investigation," Naoto said. "And I don't have any power to make arrests in Iwatodai. More than that, Honshu didn't admit that he or someone on his staff was responsible, so we cannot take it as a confession."

"So we came all the way here for nothing?" Chie said.

"Not true," Souji said. "We have confirmation."

Well what good would that do? She didn't want confirmation. She wanted justice.

"You're free to file a complaint," said the manager. "We'll be glad to take it up with the police to see who did what to your drinks. Although the evidence might be difficult to come by. And it's bad publicity. Although I know someone who knows someone who might be willing to pull some strings. For a price."

Chie felt something welling up in her. She wanted to—she wanted to beat him up. How _dare_ that slime ball manager do this to them. How dare he take a moment that was supposed to be good, that she had wanted, and turn it into—into this mess. And now they couldn't do anything. She probably wouldn't be able to kick him without getting fined for more than she had.

It wasn't fair. She wished—she wished she hadn't come.

"You won't get away with this," she said, half-blind with anger.

The manager shrugged. "Do whatever you like," he said. "You're just a bunch of kids, after all." And then he left.

Naoto glowered at the door. He tilted his hat so it covered his eyes. "I'll get in touch with my contacts," he said. "I swear."

"What?" Chie said. "That's it?"

"We have our answers," Souji said. "That's good enough."

No, it wasn't. She crossed her arms over her chest, but what she was really doing was holding herself, as though if she fell, she might be able to catch herself with her own two hands, as though her arms could be the armor that protected her from days like these.

* * *

><p>Yukiko sat next to her during the train ride back to Inaba. It'd be a long way back. Their car was quiet, and it took Chie a reason to realize why: they were riding with the occult club. Well, who cared. Let the occult club do its thing. Better that than having a crowd of loud, noisy people around. It was cold, so she put her tracksuit on. She wasn't sure if it was because of the barrier between dimensions breaking or if it was because of the AC.<p>

After a little while, Yukiko's hand rested on top of Chie's. Chie looked over at Yukiko, who had her jaw set and eyebrows tensed up. Yeah. Fine. They could hold hands. It didn't seem to do them much good. Chie still felt tired and Yukiko still looked it. Geeze. What a pair they were.

They stayed together like that for a few minutes. Then Yukiko said, "Did everything go all right with Naoto-kun?"

"Yeah," Chie said, which was more of a lie than she thought it'd be. She was so tired. She sighed, and Yukiko's hand tightened around hers. "We were, you know. Just seeing stuff."

"Oh," Yukiko said. "We went to the Naganaki Shrine. Where did you go?"

"The mall, I think?" Chie said. "The police station was there, and Naoto wanted…" Yukiko let go of her hand, and Chie grabbed it. "No, wait, I'm sorry. That's not true." She could see Yukiko's shoulder blades, raised like two cliffs against the red of her sweater, in the window. Somehow that was easier to stomach than Yukiko's disappointment. "We went back to the club," Chie said. "Last night—do you remember…?"

"I…" And Yukiko went red. "I know that something happened, but I don't know what."

Their voices had fallen, gotten quieter and soft. Chie felt her heart speed up.

"You were acting kind of—kind of strange and so I thought… maybe something—they put something in your drink and that made you act all weird."

"What?"

"I just wanted to…" Chie's voice trailed off. "I was so mad that they did that to you and…"

"Oh, Chie," Yukiko said, and hugged her. Chie buried her face in Yukiko's long hair, breathed in the shampoo and the newly washed sweater, which still smelled a little like iron. "Thank you. I'm fine, really. You didn't have to."

"I couldn't do anything," Chie said. "I couldn't do anything to him."

"You don't have to," Yukiko said, and her arm grazed against Chie's breast. Chie felt her breath catch. "You're so brave, Chie," but that didn't feel right, because she had failed, hadn't done it right. So this was what real life felt like. It felt terrible. She was glad that they had the TV so they could bring the murderer to… to… And she frowned, because the only kind of justice they could do in the TV was the hard, violent kind, and she didn't know if that was what she wanted, or if that was even the right thing. "I'm glad you did that for me. Really."

"I'm sorry," she said. "I'm sorry, I wish I could have done more and…" And then she was crying for no reason, like a total idiot. There was a little moment where Yukiko's grip became a little uncomfortable. Then Yukiko let go to draw the privacy curtain around them and raised the arm of the seat. Chie was trying to cry the way that she had seen her parents do it sometimes, just with the tears leaking everywhere and without releasing the sobs that were stuck inside her, and she did an okay job of that until Yukiko gave her a handkerchief.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Yukiko said.

Chie shrugged, helplessly. "I didn't know," she said. "I didn't… I didn't want to embarrass you."

"I wouldn't have been," she said. "You don't have to be brave by yourself."

Chie stayed quiet, and stroked Yukiko's back. The occult club was still chanting their weird song. Someone parted the curtain.

"Hey," Yosuke said, because of course it'd be Yosuke, oh god. "Do either of you have a tissue we can borrow? Partner left his handkerchief at home and I lost mine." There was a beat. Chie let go of Yukiko to scowl up at him. "Sorry," he said, his voice rising up into a pinched, squeaky sound. "Oh, man. Don't be mad, I didn't—" And then he drew the curtain shut again. Chie had half a mind to chase him, but Yukiko put a hand on her arm and so Chie stayed, her face red.

"He wanted to borrow a tissue?" she said.

"I imagine he'd be too embarrassed to ask for a handkerchief," Yukiko said.

"What?" Chie thought. And then: "On the _train_?"

"Yes," Yukiko said, and giggled. "If Souji-kun had asked, I wouldn't have minded, but since it's Yosuke-kun…"

"I know!" Chie said. "I mean, I'm not jealous, but geeze, can't they at least wait until they get back home?"

The chanting got louder for some reason, although she was sure that the volume had stayed the same; and Chie remembered, suddenly, in the haze of the night before, that Yukiko had said that she really did feel that way. Yukiko finger rested on Chie's chin.

"I don't blame them," Yukiko said. "I mean, when you're with someone—and you want them…"

"Yeah," said Chie. Yeah. It did seem to be that way, didn't it? She leaned over and kissed Yukiko, who kissed back as though she had expected this. And maybe Chie had expected it, too, but she was so surprised that she pulled back to search for confirmation on Yukiko's face.

She got it when Yukiko pulled her back in, her hand fisted around Chie's collar, breathing, "Chie, Chie," until their lips met again.

"You were—you wanted this last night, too," Chie said, as Yukiko unzipped her jacket and laid a kiss on the underside of her jaw. Yukiko's hands pressed against the underside of her breasts, and Chie gasped, pushed into the seat.

"Did I?" Yukiko said.

"You were—you kept trying to flash me and…"

"Wh—I didn't!"

"It's true," Chie said. "You really did."

Yukiko licked her lips. Then she kissed Chie, her hands brushing over Chie's breasts, a faint, searching pressure. Chie groaned.

"I wouldn't mind showing you," Yukiko said, her fingertips resting against Chie's nipple. "If you want it."

"Yes," Chie whispered, and undid the clasp of her bra. It got pushed up and over her chest, her shirt bunching up around her armpits. Chie's fingers tangled in Yukiko's hair as Yukiko applied more pressure, rubbing against the nipple until it was like Chie's entire body was being stretched and was in danger of coming apart. Yukiko kissed Chie, and then indicated that it'd be a little easier if they laid down across their two seats. It was easier, like this, felt less cramped. And Yukiko's hands were moving away from her breasts.

"Wait," Yukiko said. "When you said I was flashing you—did you mean…"

"You were…" Chie touched the edge of Yukiko's hound's-tooth skirt, and splayed her hand against the thigh. Then she slid her hand beneath the skirt and pinched the elastic of the stockings in her fingers. "Can I?"

"Don't take off the skirt," Yukiko said, and then they rolled the stocking down together, Yukiko giggling a little as the stocking finally came off of her foot. "Now you'll have to take off the other one."

* * *

><p>Everything was messy and faintly sticky now, so Chie zipped up her track jacket and made some attempt to straighten out her skirt. Then she got up and took Yukiko's overnight bag down from the rack and brought it down, tugging the privacy curtain shut. Yukiko folded her panties, placed them in the bag, and then took out a new pair and tucked them into her skirt pocket. Chie put the bag back. Someone giggled. Chie turned, slowly, to see the source.<p>

"Hi, senpai," Rise chirped. She was sitting on Kanji's lap. Oh. Oh, crap.

"Hi," Chie said.

"Having a nice time?" Rise said, taking way too much pleasure out of making Chie squirm.

"Stop that," Kanji said. Rise's position shifted, slightly, in his lap, and he seemed to jump. "I said stop that, damn it!"

"Well, where else am I going to sit?" Rise said. "The occult club's trying to summon a demon right in front of me. I don't want to be near that."

"I've called someone I knew at the police station," Naoto said to Chie. Chie noticed that Rise's hand was very, very high on Naoto's leg. Well, go Rise. Maybe. "They said that the city inspector will go investigate the club again based on an anonymous report on a potential rodent infestation."

"Thanks," Chie said. Was her skirt crooked? Oh geeze. If it was, then should she straighten it out now or would that just draw attention?

"I see that things have worked out well for you," Naoto said. Kanji went red and looked away from Chie, muttering about the interesting view of the soy beans growing and such.

"Yeah," Chie said. She rubbed her nose. "Yeah, thanks."

"Next time, senpai," Naoto said, "it might help if you'd keep your legs below the top of the seat."

Chie ducked back through the curtain. Yukiko was smiling.

"Oh my god," Chie groaned. "They know. Everyone's going to know." And they had just had sex on a train. Great. She wasn't any better than Yosuke.

"I didn't think we were that loud," Yukiko said. Chie doubted it was the _noise_ that had tipped the others off, but didn't say so. Yukiko beckoned Chie to come closer, and Chie did. "What do you want to do now?"

"I don't know," Chie said.

Yukiko smiled, then took Chie's hand and guided it below. "I'm still a little wet."

Chie blushed. "Me too."

"Should—do you…" Yukiko trailed off, frowning slightly. The reason for that became clear as someone knocked on the ceiling.

Chie shoved her hand in her pocket and said, "What is it, Yosuke?"

"Are you really sure you don't have any tissues? Because Kashiwagi's run out and… can I open this?"

Chie tugged the curtain open and gave Yosuke a look. She was about to yell at Yosuke, but didn't when she saw the spots of blood on his shirt.

"Partner has a nosebleed, and if he doesn't stop, we're going to have to wipe everything with Teddie's fur," he said. "What were you two doing?"

"Talking," Chie said, and Yukiko burst into a fit of laughter. She reached into her pocket. "Oh, geeze. All I have are handkerchiefs."

"Ha—hahahaha—"

"I only need one," Yosuke said. And then: "You guys did it on a train? People have to sit there. Although next time, I'll be sure to—"

"Go away, Yosuke," Chie said, throwing the handkerchief at Yosuke and shutting the curtain again. Yukiko was still giggling. Chie sighed, and kissed her. It was a bit of a challenge, but soon Yukiko's giggling subsided. She unzipped Chie's jacket again, but with a languorous, slow touch, not headed for anywhere. And that was fine, too. Chie wound up on top of Yukiko, her black hair falling over the edge of the seat and onto the floor and over Yukiko's breasts. It was beautiful, or maybe even better than that. She said that, and blushed.

"Oh, Chie," Yukiko said. "You are, too. You're—you're so strong and…"

"Please don't say I'm a prince or anything," Chie said. She didn't feel like one right now at all, not when she had made a mess of her bike shorts and when the path they had gotten to get here had been so strange.

"No," Yukiko said. "No, you're not a prince." Yukiko stroked Chie's face. "You're my," and the next words vanished into a sigh that could have just as easily been a laugh. Chie blushed, almost on reflex. Yukiko rubbed a little circle under Chie's hipbone that made Chie buck. Yukiko pulled the skirt up, and then her fingers curled around the top of Chie's shorts. The shorts, slowly and almost torturously, peeled off of her skin.

* * *

><p>They fell asleep. Naoto woke them up a few minutes before they pulled into Yasoinaba station, his cheeks bright red, hat crooked, and tie wrinkled suspiciously. From the looks of it, Rise had finally gotten to him and Kanji. Yukiko was glad for him, though a touch worried. Rise could be very, very persistent. They straightened their clothes, made sure any… incriminating evidence had been put away or at least cleaned up before leaving the train.<p>

"I don't get how you could do it with the occult club getting all freaky in the same car," Yosuke said as they waited for the bus to arrive at the station. Apparently it had blown a tire on its way. "I mean, what if they had summoned Cthulhu and you were too busy screwing to notice the tentacles?"

"I don't know what that is," Yukiko said just as Chie said, "Ugh, I can't believe you're talking about that in public." Souji walked just behind Yosuke, his head tilted up and a tissue up one nostril.

"What happened to your nose?" Yukiko said.

"Nothing," Yosuke said.

"He kneed me in the face," Souji said.

"Yosuke!" Chie said.

"Why are _you_ getting mad at me?"

"It's all right," Souji said. "Accidents happen." He lowered his head to smile at everyone, but another gush of blood came out and he had to tilt his head back again. Yosuke got another tissue, and pinched Souji's nose until it stopped.

"That was a fun trip," Yosuke said. "I think."

Chie and Yukiko glanced at each other. Yukiko had to suppress the little smile that came on her face whenever she looked at Chie. She had thought that either everything would change, or that nothing would. And for the most part, everything was the same, except the slow, quiet feeling of safety whenever Chie was around.

"Things turned out all right," Chie said, and took Yukiko's hand in hers.

Souji smiled, mysterious as always, and said, "I'm going to ask Ms. Sofue for tissues."

"I'll come with you," Yosuke said. "Watch over our stuff, okay?"

The moon seemed smaller in Inaba than it had been in Iwatodai, but there were so many more stars, each small and beautiful in its own way. How strange that they should return to this normal, quiet life after last night. But this felt nice, too, uncertain and unsteady as it was. Chie's head rested against her shoulder. The silvery clouds advanced across the sky, heading for their invisible, unknowable home, carrying in them rain and wind. But it'd be all right. She held onto Chie's arm, not caring who saw them. Yes. Yes, it would be all right. They had gone through so much already. This bond between them, more solid than their clasped hands, was stronger than the storms that awaited them, full of fog and death.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: <strong>I cut out about 400 words from the train scene in order to make the M rating for FFNet. It's not really necessary, but I originally set out writing this thinking, "Train porn!" so it's a bit odd having this story without the sex.

I really loved writing this, and hoped you enjoyed reading this, too. Many thanks for your support.


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